GNR presents Rider Diaries Part 7

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On July 12, 2020

In this edition of Rider diaries, let’s welcome Sonia Adhikary, a traveler, motorcycle lover, a newbie offroad rider, a firm believer in endless learning, and someone who is not beaten by ‘cant’s’ and instead turns them into ‘cans’.

Motorcycle, as they say, is love at first sight. For Sonia, it happened 4 years ago. She used to borrow motorcycles from friends and ride them over the weekends.

Until she purchased her first motorcycle, Sonia knew the basics of riding but she practically learned the art of motorcycling on this fiery black beauty, her first Classic 350. She was her companion on most of her short rides and several long hauls. As Sonia states, the most memorable rides are Ladakh and Bhutan. Sonia currently owns RE Interceptor, a beautiful twin that she mostly uses for long rides.

Before going for a ride, planning for the same is the most crucial thing to do. When we asked Sonia about how her plan for the ride goes, she said ‘Time’ is a deciding factor. She plans her getaways according to the time she has and the time which is required to cover the distance. Her philosophy is, Never push your limits and enjoy the journey rather than pushing for the destination in haste. She believes in traveling light and carrying things with you that you actually need rather than things that you want. Apart from the essentials things, a bottle of water, some snacks, tissue papers, a power bank, a GoPro, and of course, a sanitizer are her constant companions.

Route planning is one of the most important things before we actually start our journey. Sonia plans her route after calculating the conditions like weather along the route, the condition of the roads, and also if the roads have twisties. We all know highways are boring 😉

The next crucial part is hunting for places to stay in. Sonia is very minimalist when it comes to criteria for stay. A safe place for parking, vicinity to nearby towns/markets, and a cozy place filled with basic amenities is all she needs to wind down after a full day of riding.

Although motorcycling is considered as a dangerous hobby, it’s our job to be cautious and responsible on the road. Sonia follows #ATGATT. For those of you who don’t know what it means, it’s ‘All The Gear All The Time’. No matter if its a short breakfast spin or a long ride, always ride in full riding gear. Sonia gives special emphasis on having rearview mirrors and working indicators.